Pipe size measuring tool

ABSTRACT

A pipe size measuring tool having a plurality of gauges, each gauge having an open mouth there on. The sizes of the open mouths in each gauge are different from each other. The gauges are mounted together with each gauge having a front end, a body portion and a rear end. The gauges are pivotally mounted together adjacent their rear ends so that they are moveable from a folded compact position to an open postion. The front ends are wider than the rear ends and the gauges are thin and light-weight. Openings are provided in the rear ends so that the gauges may be pivotally mounted together at the rear ends. The gauges are of different sizes with the larger open mouths located in the larger gauges.

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved pipe size measuring tool and more particularly to an improved lightweight, manually usable pipe size measuring tool for quickly determining the size of a pipe.

[0002] Presently, in order to determine the size of a pipe, i.e. its diameter and circumference, a piece of string is wrapped around the pipe to determine its size. Alternatively, a flexible tape measure is wrapped around the pipe to measure it. Such methods are cumbersome and time consuming. In addition, if a pipe is only partially exposed, it must be fully exposed before its size can be determined. Furthermore, if a pipe is in an out of the way place, such as inside a building or on a deep ditch or trench, the difficulties of measuring the pipe are magnified enormously. Similar awkward and time consuming methods are currently used to measure the thickness of a pipe.

OBJECTS

[0003] The present invention avoids these drawbacks and has for one of its objects the provision of an improved measuring tool for determining the size of a pipe.

[0004] Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved measuring tool for measuring the thickness of a pipe.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved measuring tool which allows the user to easily determine the size of a pipe without exposing the entire circumference of a pipe.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved measuring tool which allows the user to easily determine the size of a pipe even if the pipe is in an out of the way place such as inside a building or inside a deep trench or ditch.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved measuring tool which is light and easily handled manually.

[0008] Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appened claims and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0009] The present invention comprises a of a light-weight tool comprising a plurality of gauges which may be made of metal, wood, plastic, card-board or other light-weight material. Each gauge has an open curved configuration or open mouth at its front end and is preferably made of a rigid material. A plurality of these gauges are pivotally mounted together at the rear ends so that they may be folded into a compact tool or opened when in use. The curved open mouths on the different gauges are of different circumferential sizes and the sizes are preferably marked on each gauge. In use, the curved open mouth of a particular gauge is applied to the outside of a pipe to determine its circumferential and diametrical size. Since the present invention provides a tool which has the curved open mouths of the various gauges scaled to standard sizes, one need merely fit the proper gauge onto the outside of a pipe to determine the size of a pipe.

[0010] Wall thickness notches may also be provided on at least some of the gauges which are scaled to standard pipe thicknesses. The notches are preferably marked to indicate pipe thickness. Hence, the user need merely apply a notch onto the wall of the pipe to ascertain its thickness.

[0011] In this manner, the measuring tool of the present invention saves time and effort and creates an inexpensive and convenient tool for measuring the circumferential sizes and diametrical size of a pipe and for ascertaining the thickness of a pipe wall.

DRAWINGS

[0012] A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a number of gauges to be assembled together in accordance with the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the gaugess of FIG. 1 assembled together.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2 showing the manner of using the measuring tool of the present invention

[0016]FIG. 4 is a plan view showing all the gauges in the open position.

[0017]FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the tool in use.

[0018]FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a modification of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION

[0019] The measuring tool 1 of the present invention (FIG. 4) comprises a plurality of flat gauges 2 which may be made of metal, wood, plastic, cardboard or some other suitable material. The gauges 2 are preferably light-weight and rigid. Each gauge 2 has an enlarged or wide front end head 3, a body portion 4 and a rear end 5. Preferably the body portion 4 of each gauge 2 has tapered side edges 8 connection the wider front portion 3 with the narrower rear end 5. However, it will be understood that the gauges 2 may assume different shapes without departing from the invention. Each front end 3 of each gauge 2 has a curved open mouth 6 formed therein which may be substantially semi-circular as shown in the drawings. The rear end 5 of each gauge 2 has an opening 7 therein which permits a plurality of such gaugtes 2 to be pivotally mounted together as by a nut or rivet 10.

[0020] The plurality of gauges 2 are of different lengths and sizes ranging from the shortest and smallest to the longest and largest. Each gauge 2 of a different size has a curved open mouth 6 of a different size. As shown in the drawing, the smallest curved open mouth 6 is in the smaller gauge 2 and the curved open mouths 6 are gradually larger for each larger gauge 2 until the largest curved open mouth 6 is in the largest gauge 2. Each gauge 2 is preferably marked with the particular outer diameter of the curved open mouth 6 therein. The curved open mouths 6 match standard pipe sizes. The several gauges 2 may be attached together by a rivet or screw 10 in the openings 7 as shown in FIG. 4 so that they pivot relative to each other from a folded compact position to an open position. When in the folded position shown in FIG. 2 the tool is small enough to fit in the user's pocket or tool case. When opened (FIG. 3) the tool is still small enough to be easily manually handled.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 6, the tool of the present invention may include pipe thickness identifier means. These comprise providing the side edges 8 of the gauges 2 with notches 9 on them which match standard thicknesses of pipes. These notches 9 may be marked for easy identification. The notches 9 may be located on each side of edge 8 of a gauge 2, or on one side edge only, as may be desired. It will be noted that the notches 9 are preferably close to the wider front end 3 of each gauge 2 as shown in the drawings. The notches 9 are used to measure the wall thickness for each Schedule and Class of pipe. For example, one size of PVC pipe can be manufactured with several different wall thickness' (Outside Diameter minus Inside Diameter= Wall Thickness) such as Schedule 80, Schuedule 40, Class 315 Class 200, Class 160 and Class 125. With the end of a pipe exposed, the tool of the present invention can determine the Schedule, Class, etc. of a pipe by placing a notch 9 of a gauge 2 onto a pipe end to determine its thickness.

[0022] The measuring tool of the present invention can also provide an electronic readout mode (not shown). The measuring tool can be wired and battery-powered to be read as a Light Emitting Diode (LED) indicator using numbers or dots or it may be read as Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) indicator which will give correct sizes. This electronic version of the tool may be attached by a plug-in jack to an independent measuring unit such as a calculator or similar device.

[0023] In use, the measuring tool 1 of the present invention may be carried in the pocket or in a tool chest in the compact folded condition shown in FIG. 2. When the size of a pipe is to be measured, as shown in FIG. 5, one of the gauges 2 is pivoted away from the rest of the gauges 2 (FIG. 5) and is applied to the pipe to determine its size. If that particular gauge 2 does not fit then it is an easy matter for the user to pick another gauge 2 and try each one until the right size gauge 2 is found. The measuring tool 1 may be made in several configurations to accommodate virtually all conduit, pipe and tubing diameters. If a guage 2 of the tool is the correct size for the pipe being Measured, the curved open mouth 6 will fit snugly on the curvature of this pipe with no exceess surface on top or bottom. Similarly, to measure the thickness of a pipe it is merely necessary to place the notches 9 on the edges 8 of the gauge 2 to the pipe end until the proper thickness is determined. As set forth herein, the word “pipe” may mean a water, gas, chemical, etc. pipe nd tubing, and all electrical and telecommunications conduits. The pipe may be made from such material as copper, brass, steel, glass, asbestos cement, cast iron and plastics of all types such as PVC, ABS, PE, etc.

[0024] It will thus be seen that the present invention provides an improved measuring tool for determining the outer diameter of a pipe and for measuring the thickness of a pipe which is light and easily handled manually. The tool can rapidly identify the size of virtually any type of pipe, conduit, or tubing and the Schedule or Class of any type of pipe, conduit, or tubing as well. All sizes of pipe conduit or tubing can be measured. In addition, all relevant pipe information such as pipe size, wall thickness, inside diameter, etc. may be labeled, stamped, or imprinted onto the various gauges of the tool.

[0025] As many and varied modifications of the subject matter of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description given hereinabove, it will be understood that the present invention is limited only as provided in the claims appended hereto. 

The embodiment of the invention is which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed as follows:
 1. A measuring tool comprising a plurality of gauges, at least some of the gauges having an open mouth, the sizes of the open mouth in at least some of the gauges being different from each other, said gauges being mounted together.
 2. A measuring tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein each gauge has a front end portion, a body portion and a rear end portion.
 3. A measuring tool as claimed in claim 2 in which the said gauges are pivotally mounted together adjacent their rear ends whereby the gauges are moveable from a folded compact position into an open position.
 4. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 3 wherein the front end portions of the gauges are wider than the rear end portions.
 5. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 4 wherein the front end portions and the rear end portions are connected together by tapered side edges.
 6. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 5 wherein said gauges are thin and light-weight.
 7. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 6 wherein openings are provided in the rear end whereby the gauges may be pivotally mounted together.
 8. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 7 wherein the gauges are of different sizes with the large open mouth is in the larger gauge.
 9. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 8 wherein the size of said open mouths are marked on said body portions.
 10. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 9 wherein pipe thickness notches are provided at at least one of the edges of at least one of the said body portions.
 11. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 10 wherein a plurality of notches are provided on the edges of said body portions, said notches being of different sizes.
 12. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 11 wherein the size of said notches are marked on said body portions.
 13. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 12 wherein said tool is provided with electronic read-out means whereby the correct size is displayed electronically on a display unit.
 14. A measuring tool comprising a plurality of gauges, each of said gauges having a body portion, pipe thickness notches being provided on at least one of the edges of a least some of the said body portions, said gauges being pivotally mounted together.
 15. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 14 wherein a plurality of notches are provided on the edges of said body portions, said notches being of different sizes.
 16. A measuring tool as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the size of said notches are marked in body portions. 